Mollies Dying?

[Fishnova]

I hope it is not a contaminant, you moved your platys which would spread the contaminant to the 29 :/

I would do the complete cleaning as a last resort, very last resort

 

[ocminpin]

I hope it is not a contaminant, you moved your platys which would spread the contaminant to the 29 :/

I would do the complete cleaning as a last resort, very last resort

What If there was lotion on my hands one day or something and is irritating them? If I move the fish and not water how would that transfer?

Wouldn't it be just about last resort now? I've lost almost 10 fish in 4 days.

 

[Fishnova]

So you think that may be a possibility? I was thinking a bacterial/viral/parasitic transfer, didn't take into consideration the possibility of a chemical contaminant from outside the aquarium

You have also been doing a lot of partial water changes, which if there was a chemical contaminant, it would should have either fixed the problem or atleast gave your fish some slight improval. I can see that it has not helped, the pwcs I mean...

Only thing I can think of is to take one of the shimmers, and put them in qt to observe their behavior more closely and to see if they are still shimmying, if they are it should be the fish and not the aquarium water.

 

[ocminpin]

One of the bigger 4 mth olds is spiraling on it head trying to right itself... Can't seem to get a balance...
Also... The temp in the tank dropped to about 74... My heater is apparently acting up. It's an Aqueon 100w. Supposed to be red when heating and green when desired temp reached. It goes between black (off?) and red.. Oh boy...

So this could be a stress situation combo between heater/bullying/non-brackish water issue....?!!

Update: one of them appears to have a hunchback ... You know how when fish are dead a few hours something pops thru and bulges thru the top of their heads? Looks like bulge but not broken thru skin yet.:.

What the heck is going on here????!!
And 3 more found dead under rocks

 

[ocminpin]

3 more dead this last hour, 3 more panting

Parameters:

RIGHT NOW:

Ph- 8.0
Ammo- 0 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Nitrate- 80 ppm

PREVIOUS READINGS:

12/25

Ph- 7.4
0,0,160

12/26
Ph- 7.4
0,0,80

1/2
Ph- 7.4
0,0,40

1/4
Ph- 7.4
0,0,40

1/7
Ph- 7.4
0,0,80

I have high nitrates in my tap... Avg 20 ppm

 

[ocminpin]

I'm down to about 30-35...
Lost about 25 total so far

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I'm down to about 30-35...
Lost about 25 total so far

Oh Laura! I'm sorry that's just awful! I wish I could help.

 

[Sisserydoo]

Do you have another tank you can put the fish into? Maybe you should do the break down, I just don't know what could be going on...

Are you using prime? I think I read on the bottle that extra prime could help neutralize some of the nitrate.

 

[Sisserydoo]

I found this....

"It sounds like the fish have something called methemoglobinemia. Typically this is a symptom of nitrIte poisoning but what happens sometimes is this,,,,,,,,,when a large water change is done, and there is free ammonia in the water,,,,,and chlorine in the water mixes with the free ammonia, especially in low pH situations, it forms chloramines. These chloramines are absorbed through the gills of the fish, causing heavy breathing, sluggishness, and death.
Usually the chloramines are present only for a very short time, but do the damage nonetheless.
Running your water through fresh activated carbon will ensure whatever is in the tank is gone."


I don't know...I'm just looking around for anything. If you're not using carbon in your filter, maybe you should try that.

 

[ocminpin]

Oh Laura! I'm sorry that's just awful! I wish I could help.

I'm just beside myself... Angry, sad, discouraged, realizing rams may never be in my future. But at the same time I've gutted the tank... Moved the remaining ones into a 2g container. They look a lot better in there... Only one on it's way out... Rest are active and waving at me following my finger. I'm going to wash out with hot water and rinse gravel and put them back... Will have to start with new filter....right? In case of a contaminant. I have no other place to put them.

 

[Sisserydoo]

Wow...that is a lot of fish to put in an uncycled tank! I don't know about the new filter. Maybe some of the more experienced fish keepers will chime in here.

 

[ocminpin]

I found this....

"It sounds like the fish have something called methemoglobinemia. Typically this is a symptom of nitrIte poisoning but what happens sometimes is this,,,,,,,,,when a large water change is done, and there is free ammonia in the water,,,,,and chlorine in the water mixes with the free ammonia, especially in low pH situations, it forms chloramines. These chloramines are absorbed through the gills of the fish, causing heavy breathing, sluggishness, and death.
Usually the chloramines are present only for a very short time, but do the damage nonetheless.
Running your water through fresh activated carbon will ensure whatever is in the tank is gone."

I don't know...I'm just looking around for anything. If you're not using carbon in your filter, maybe you should try that.

I use an Aqueon Quiet Flow 10-- up to 20g. 100gph
Has carbon in filter

 

[Sisserydoo]

I use an Aqueon Quiet Flow 10-- up to 20g. 100gph
Has carbon in filter

Okay...gosh, I don't know. I wish I could help.

 

[ocminpin]

Wow...that is a lot of fish to put in an uncycled tank! I don't know about the new filter. Maybe some of the more experienced fish keepers will chime in here.

I have an established filter... Tank is constantly at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite.... Nitrates I'm battling. But wondering if something might be in this old filter. :-/

 

[Sisserydoo]

Okay, I didn't know you had an established filter to put in. Sounds like a plan then, I hope it works.

 

[ocminpin]

Okay, I didn't know you had an established filter to put in. Sounds like a plan then, I hope it works.

Are you saying plan could be to put in a brand new filter or put same one back in?

 

[Fishnova]

How are your platys doing?

 

[ocminpin]

How are your platys doing?

Swimming around happily with bright colors in the 29g.
They look great... I'm grateful.

 

[Sisserydoo]

If you are scrubbing the tank, changing the water, and putting in a new filter, your tank would have to cycle all over again, wouldn't it? I realize it's late now, and you've probably already done what you're going to do, but I think a new filter on top of all that other stuff will basically make it like a new tank, with 25 fish in it. But I guess it can't be any worse than what was happening already. Keep us posted.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

If you ditch or clean everything and start over you can seed the filter with one of your other healthy tanks filters. It will definitely put your tank back into a cycle.